Rear sprocket teeth

[Miztaziggy]

I stripped the rear end to clean the chain and sprocket, and noticed that the rear sprocket said 42T on it.

I assumed it was a standard sprocket, but when I have looked up details for my bike, it turns out that as standard it's 43T.

Would 43 on the rear make the bike accelerate quicker? If so, is it a noticeable difference?

If I change it for a 43, then would the speedo be out? There is a GI gear indicator fitted and this little box that says GI Indicator and healer. Maybe that's set up for different sprockets?

[darkember]

This will give you an idea as to any differences from stock

http://www.gearingcommander.com/

[VTRDark]

More teeth on the rear will increase bottom end (wheelie monster ) at the sacrifice of top, but as it standard I guess it's the better way go. The one tooth less you have at the moment must have been put on to slow the bottom end and give a bit more on top. But what about the front is that still standard. As the the speedo heeler that will need adjusting to compensate.I'm nit sure about the gear position indicator. I would have though that would be OK as it would take it's measurement of the gearbox/gear selector.

(:-})

[8541Hawk]

I stripped the rear end to clean the chain and sprocket, and noticed that the rear sprocket said 42T on it.

I assumed it was a standard sprocket, but when I have looked up details for my bike, it turns out that as standard it's 43T.

Would 43 on the rear make the bike accelerate quicker? If so, is it a noticeable difference?

If I change it for a 43, then would the speedo be out? There is a GI gear indicator fitted and this little box that says GI Indicator and healer. Maybe that's set up for different sprockets?

The stock rear sprocket is 41 teeth in the rear, As far as I know this was the stock gearing on all VTRs

As for the whole gearing down discussion, my opinion is that you can't go WOT in first gear, with stock gearing, on a properly running VTR without the bike flipping over backwards.....
So why would you want to gear lower?

[AMCQ46]

Hawk, ziggy now has a blade

Ziggy, 1 down on the rear will raise the gearing making higher, so I suspect there may also be a smaller front sprocket as well

[8541Hawk]

Hawk, ziggy now has a blade

Ziggy, 1 down on the rear will raise the gearing making higher, so I suspect there may also be a smaller front sprocket as well

Well then never mind..... Though I guess I need a score card to keep up with who has what when they ask questions.....

[Virt]

Well then never mind..... Though I guess I need a score card to keep up with who has what when they ask questions.....

Think the hint is in his signature and his avatar

[8541Hawk]

Think the hint is in his signature and his avatar

What I'm supposed to look at pictures......
Like I said, I need a score card to know what bikes are being talked about.....

[VTRDark]

Well then never mind..... Though I guess I need a score card to keep up with who has what when they ask questions.....

The problem is we are such a good forum know one wants to leave. We need an separate section for other bikes.

Virt he has also has a Storm in the signature

(:-})

[8541Hawk]

The problem is we are such a good forum know one wants to leave. We need an separate section for other bikes.

Virt he has also has a Storm in the signature

(:-})

Well that is better than some other forums..... but I'll just let that one be.....
It's all good though, I'll have it figured out pretty soon.....

[Miztaziggy]

Lol thanks guys.

My question I suppose was more about what sort of 'feel' you get by increasing teeth on rear. Is it worth the money to change it, compared with power difference.

I do have standard 16T on front btw, and -1 I think on the rear.

[fabiostar]

one tooth on the rear up or down wont make much difference so i wouldnt get to worried about it.

[popkat]

For the 2006 model fireblade Honda fitted a one tooth bigger rear sprocket, the clocks would be different to account for this. If you have an 06/07 and your one tooth smaller then the speedo won't read as intended, it'll read closer to the true speed.

most speedo's are around 5% out from the factory so if you got through a speed camera at 30mph your doing 28.5 which is a safe margin. At 160 you'd be doing 152. not 100% accurate calculation on my part but give a good idea. Usually 1 tooth on the front = about another 10% speedo inaccuracy, so the normal is to go down 1 tooth which would mean 160 on the clock would be 136 true (ish) speed, 1 tooth less on the back would work out 3.33333333% so at 50mph less 5% = 47.5mph + 3.33333333% = 49.08mph. After all that if your bike is 04/05 then i guess your 42t rear is correct, if it's an 06/07 then it's one tooth down at the back, and there's hardly a difference and nothing to bother about speedo wise, you'll get slightly better fuel consumption and slightly less thrust. My brains fried now, i must be bored

[daveuprite]

I have a TL1000S for the road - an original early full power version. I've got a full system on it, PCIII, Ohlins rear shock and front internals and a few other bits to make it work properly rather than how Suzuki let them go from the factory. it has about 125bhp at the rear wheel. Anyway, I spend most of my time on track (not with the TL, usually with well-sorted race bikes) so I have no need of high speed on the road. But I do like my bikes to handle well and accelerate well. So I have radically altered my TL's final drive gearing to -2 teeth off the front sprocket and +6 on the rear. This is about as radical as you can go and a deliberate decision on my part. I'm sure you could alter your Firestorm along the same lines.

So how does it feel to go that radical?

First gear is pretty much irrelevant and largely unuseable. To give it gas in first is to almost flip straight over.

Second gear, just on the power not clutching it up, produces an instant fairly violent wheelie, which you must change into third quickly or dump back on the deck.

Third gear produces lovely torquey wheelies wich can be controlled off the throttle alone - nice.

Fuel economy has suffered obviously - down to maybe 30mpg now I guess. Tank range is worse of course.

Top end speed is down from maybe 150mph standard gearing to about 125mph - doesn't bother me but a big difference.

So as you can see, it's horses for courses - I wanted a radical stunt-style bike and I have one, but there is a price to pay...

Dave

[Smokinjoe73]

Most all stock bikes come with way too high gearing based on noise requirements measured at @55mph. To meet that they gear them way up to lower rpms.

Lower gearing will get you more thrust and acceleration. Yeah more loopy in first but you will also spend way less time in first. If you can do 60mph in first stock then whats the point? You will notice the grunt in all the other gears.

For reference, on the racetrack, my 3 bikes are geared way lower than stock. The only track I go to that does require stock gearing is Daytona, which is basicly 4 miles of straightaway.

Its doubtful you would feel a one rear tooth difference, but one front tooth is worth 3 in the rear and you wont have to change your chain length or wheelbase so experiment that way.